Sunday

Resurrection Sunday is my favorite day of the year - every year. It's become special ever since I began taking lent seriously. In my Bethel years, Easter was a day I got to baptize some of my friends. At Iawah, Easter meant a trip into Kingston.

Now that we live in Kingston, it was an extra special Easter. We started it off with a sunrise service in which the liturgy was timed perfectly with the first rising of the sun. We all got a little misty with wonder as we saw that burst of light reminding us of our Savior's resurrection.

After the early service we had breakfast at NeXt church and we got to eat with some of our friends from the shelter. Wolfe Island Bakery supplied us with more food than we could have ever imagined, so everyone ate really well!

The Eleven O'clock service was also really special with all sorts of rainbow streamers, and colourful crosses, and really good music belted out with passion. But the thing that moved me most was the amazing blessing of being able to sit in the same pew as all the different homeless guests we've had at the House Famous. God does everything so beautifully.

Oh, Friday

It was very cold, to begin with. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am to relate...

We did a Good Friday service with Josh and Corky that took place in Skeleton park at nine o'clock Friday night. It was a service that involved interactive reflection and thought on the different reactions of Jesus' disciples on the night He was betrayed. The reactions we interacted with were denial, fight or flight, betrayal and despair. We had different stations for each reaction where we attempted to experience how the disciples would have felt on that scandalous night. For example, at the station for despair we had setup two couches in the park with pillows that had 'STAY AWAKE' and 'DON'T FALL ASLEEP' stitched on them, there were also scrap books of things you could pray for to look through.
In addition to these stations we had a labyrinth setup. I can say it provided powerful moments, and I recall praying harder than I had in a long time. This night was beautiful for me because I was quickly reminded of my need for God, and I think it really set the tone for this incredible weekend. I'm thankful God has made us to need Him.
After the service was over we returned home deeply cold and deeply tired. It was the kind of exhaustion that can only come from searching for God. But all of it was worth it, we had done this to glorify God and I hope we did.

Thursday Night

This past Thursday evening we had a prayer meeting. We were hoping to capture some of the mood of the night Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, while his disciples slept. We had no idea how similar our nights would end up...

Before the meeting even started, one of our friends was asleep on the couch. We continued the meeting right around him. As the meeting continued, a few more of us dozed off. Half an hour later, three friends joined us, returning home from work.

Finally, we ended abruptly and left in silence, some in confusion, some a little frustrated with themselves. It was scripture come to life, and it was a great beginning to our very special weekend celebrating our Hero's death and resurrection.

And they rose early to go to the tomb, but Jesus wasn't there...

Easter Sunrise Service: Sunday March 23rd, 6:15am onward to sunrise!

Meet at Murney Tower, near the corner of Barrie and King St.

Free Community Breakfast to follow from 8am to 10:30am at Next Church, 89 Colborne St.

Come celebrate together!

Thursday night prayer meeting

On the Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus washed His disciples' feet, instituted the Holy Eucharist, agonized at Gethsemene and was then betrayed by one of His own. It's the night before things get crazy.
In light of this week, we'll be having our prayer meeting on Thursday night at 10:30 pm, instead of our normal Friday morning prayer.
This can be a time to prepare ourselves for this Easter weekend.

Click here to see more about events happening at Next Church for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

One of the things I find the hardest with running our little house of hospitality is when people leave unannounced. We have a frequent guest who comes and goes very freely, and when he goes I always wonder if we've done something wrong or bored him out of his skull. I usually find out later that it's more that he doesn't want to overuse our hospitality, but I still wish things ended with more closure.

Another insecurity I have with our homeless friends is how uncool I am. I don't know how to talk in ways that will be relevant to someone living in the shelter; and when they come to stay with us, I don't know how to entertain them as guests. I don't know the first thing about street drugs, I don't get drunk, I haven't been in a fight since I was 12, I don't really get UFC, we don't have a tv, and I think video games are a waste of time... The only things I really find interesting are books, nerdy board games, movies and Christianity. BOR-ing!

I really hope kindness and hospitality are enough.